Some dogs suffer from stress whenever you’re away from home, and they can act out by barking, whining, destroying furniture or making a mess in the house. These are common symptoms of separation anxiety.

If your dog seems upset when you’re leaving them alone at home, and if they are beyond overjoyed when you come home, they could be suffering from separation anxiety. It’s more common in dogs than some would think – but with the proper technique, you can help your dog feel more at ease when you’re away from home.

Never Scold Your Dog For Their Anxiety

Your dog sees you as part of their pack, and just as you wouldn’t want to get scolded by friends or family, your dog doesn’t want to get scolded by you. If your dog is displaying symptoms of separation anxiety, be sure not to snap at your dog for acting out.

When you’re leaving home, try using a more positive voice and tone with your dog. Don’t give them too much attention – this could make them think that something is wrong, and it could only lead to an increased anxiety. Be kind to your dog when you leave, and don’t make a big deal out of returning. Let your dog know that you’ll be leaving the house at times and that it’s something normal.

Buy Your Dog More Toys

In many cases, you’re going to be the center of your dog’s social world. While being alone is never fun, you can encourage your dog to get more comfortable hanging out by themselves.

Buying new toys, or just buying more toys in general, can help your dog stay entertained when you’re gone. Try to get your dog to play with their toys when you’re around as well. This will help them become a little more independent, and they’ll be able to keep themselves company when you’re out.

Don’t Reward Stressful Signs

This is a tough one, since nobody likes seeing their dog in distress. But if your dog whines for attention when you’re home, there’s a good chance that they’ll overreact when you aren’t home. Try to avoid rewarding your dog for their whining.

To compensate, give your dog attention when they aren’t begging for it. This will teach them that whining won’t get anything without them losing any affection for you!

Invest In A Thundershirt For Your Dog

A quick fix for your dog’s separation anxiety could be the Thundershirt. The Thundershirt is a vest that hugs your dog, adding just the slightest bit of pressure. Think of it like getting a hug – we love getting hugs, and the pressure from squeezing is one of the nicest parts. While’s there’s no science behind the Thundershirt, it has been proven to work. For whatever reason, this pressure is comforting for both dogs and people alike!

Consider Medication

In serious cases, medication will help your dog with their anxiety. While this isn’t a permanent solution, you can use it to help ease them out of their old fears. There’s nothing wrong with some medication – people use medication for anxiety all the time.

Separation anxiety isn’t fun for you or your dog. Fortunately, your dog’s separation anxiety can be fixed with some hard work and training. Curing separation anxiety isn’t the easiest task, but both you and your dog will be happier once it’s gone!